Read A Sniper in the Tower Online

Authors: Gary M. Lavergne

Tags: #History, #United States, #General, #State & Local, #Southwest (AZ; NM; OK; TX), #True Crime, #Murder, #test

A Sniper in the Tower (11 page)

 
Page 32
21 February 1964
Just before I left town I stopped in Dewey's for an order of onion rings, and I was paid a compliment from an entirely unusual source. The owner of Dewey's asked me how I managed to look so good and neat, as though I had "just taken a shower" as he put it. I didn't answer but just thought how glad I am to have been brought up right by my parents. . . .
34
Self-deprecating passages became more common. Charlie frequently lamented the obligation he felt towards his parents. He blamed himself, quite rightly, for the problems he caused himself, his parents and Kathy. He considered himself undisciplined and lazy, but he also blamed the Marine Corps for many of his troubles.
Unlike Charlie's writings, which descended into a deeper and deeper depression, Kathy's letters became more upbeat, becoming the only source of cheer in Charlie's otherwise miserable lift. The couple spent an inordinate amount of time on the phone and the long distance phone bills, apparently paid for by C. A. Whitman, piled up. On 11 February 1964, C. A. Whitman asked Charlie to cut down on the calls; his bill for the previous December and January was for $180.
35
"Last Day on Hard Labor!" It was 25 February 1964. Hard labor usually lasted until 11:00
P.M.
, and now it was over. Only two days later Charlie visited Bernard's Men's Shop and applied for a job. The manager gave him a chance and Charlie sold over $100 on his first night. He got the job and worked a 5:00
P.M.
to 10:00
P.M.
shift, but never made much money He wanted to be out of the marines, to return to Kathy in Austin, and to make his own fortune. A few days later, he managed to get himself into trouble yet again, when on 29 February 1964 he was charged with Article 92, "failure to obey a lawful order," when he failed to carry his rifle on a hike. Finally, good news came from Lake Worth:
I was given a message to call home to Fla [sic] immediately I thought something was wrong with someone health
 
Page 33
wise. When I called though I received some very good news. Daddy asked me how much a year of my life was worth. I couldn't think of a reasonable answer, but I suspected that they had received good news about my discharge. Sure enough Daddy received a call from Mr. Rogers [Congressman Paul Rogers] telling him that the Sec. of Navy had placed my EAS (Expiration of Active Service) at
6 December 1964
. That was just fabulous. I was so excited that I didn't know what to say.
36
The news came just before the beginning of a leave for which he had been waiting for several months. Originally he was to meet Kathy in Mobile, Alabama. Her mother had even lent her fifty dollars to make the trip, but Charlie decided to go to Austin. He would surprise her with the good news there.
37
The third phase of Charlie's marine career, his return to active duty after losing his NESEP scholarship, had been one of torment and misery He had a bright, lovely and devoted small-town wife who adored him; and he gave her little more than grief. Surely it must have occurred to him that he had blown it. He began to believe his future was limited. He entertained the real possibility that he would never outdo his father economically or socially, and it may also have occurred to him that he would be supported by Kathy for some time.
Writing his thoughts seemed to tranquilize him, to give him comfort. He wrote of reaching "the pit of life's experiences." He was wrong; he did not know it, but this was only the beginning of the end for Charlie Whitman.
1
Palm Beach Post
, 3 August 1966; APD Files:
Statement of Francis J. Schuck, Jr.
, 13 September 1966; FBI Files:
Cole Report
, 17 August 1966, p. 16.
2
Texas Observer
, 19 August 1966;
Austin American-Statesman
, 7 August 1966.
3 Connally Report, p. 2.
4 In the Austin Police Department Files there are a number of small notebooks and calendars which belonged to Charles Whitman. Those that were contemporaneous to his service as a United States Marine are hereafter cited as APD Files:
Marine Notebooks
.
5 APD Files:
Marine Notebooks
, undated entry; AJS.

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